This article outlines a case study of creating a system of quality assurance in Belize while also building the capacity of teaching staff in order to support the process of establishing quality standards in tertiary education. This case study outlines the process of establishing the first quality assurance system in the nation's history as well as the instruction, mentoring and coaching provided to support capacity building as the implementation of standards were rolled out. The culmination of the initial two years of the pilot resulted in the first external review of an institution in the nation's history. Challenges and limitations of the programme are addressed as well as the successes each institution experienced in the initial two years of implementation. The pilot programme has yielded great interest in data collection and analysis as well as professional development to facilitate a culture shift from oral interpretation to data-driven decision making.